Indicator for aeroplanes.



W. A. WALKER.

INDICATOR FOR AEROPLANES.

APPLICATWN FILED 1150.4. I917.

1,291,299., Patenteci Jan. M, 1919.

WWW

m: "cums I-LTEI'IS ca. mm'munm. vmsumcmn. 11 e.

WILLIAM ALEXANDER WALKER, 0F HAWKESBUBY, ONTARIO, CANADA.

INDICATOR FOR AEROPLANES.

t emes.

Specification of Letters Patent.

lPatcnted Jan. 1 1., M1 12.

Application filed December 4, 1917. Serial No. 205,4t12.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM ALEXANDER WALKER, a subject of the King of Great Britain, and resident of the town of Hawkesbury, Province of Ontario, and Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Indicators for aeroplanes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in indicators for aeroplanes and like vehicles and the objects of the invention are to facili-' tate determining the dip or rise of the machine or the lateral inclination of the same so that the pilot will under all conditions be able readily by actuation of the controlling mechanism to bring his machine to a horizontal position, to simplify the arrange ments of the indicator and render the same easily accessible for inspection and quickly assembled, and not liable to go out of repair.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists essentially of the improved construction particularly described and set forth in the following specification and accompanying drawings forming part of the same.

Tn the drawings:

Figure l is a front elevation of the improved indicator.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the main frame of the indicator showing the method of supporting the indicating means thereon.

Like characters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the improved indicator comprising a hemispherical frame 10 which is provided adj acent to the edge with a peripheral flange 11, and on the back with a boss 12 having an orifice 13 therethrough.

This frame may be provided with any suitable fastening means whereby it can be readily positioned in front of the pilot on an aeroplane and it is designed to carry a U-shaped frame or bracket 14: having an integral pin 15 which passes through the orifice 13 and is designed to be engaged by the nut 16 so that the said bracket may be tightly drawn into the desired position and rigidly held in place.

The U-shaped bracket or frame 14sis pro vided with a pair of pins 17 at the ends of the arms thereof and these pins are adapted to engage with the outer ends of the arms of the U-shaped bracket 18 which carries a spindle 19 on which the indicator 20 is rotatably mounted.

The indicator consists of a metallic or like sphere weighted at the lower end as shown at 21 so that the sphere will always be held in a pre-determined position under gravity.

Longitudinal motion of the sphere 20 is overcome by using a cap or nut 22 on the end of the spindle 19. The sphere 20 may be provided with an index or graduation line 23 and it is inclosed by a hemispherical glass cover 24 which is secured in place by means of a clamp 25 which engages with the edge of the hemispherical frame 10.

The glass cover 24 may have an index or graduation line 26 marked thereon, which will normally register with the line 23 when the aeroplane is horizontally disposed.

When this indicator is mounted on an aeroplane which is in flight, should any dip or lateral inclination take place on the aeroplane the frame 10 will naturally lie at the angle of inclination of the machine so that the index line 26 would assume the position such as is shown in Fig. 1.

The sphere 20 would however, be retained in such a position that its index line 23 would be vertically disposed this being due to the fact that gravity would control the motion of the sphere 20.

The angle between the index lines 28 and 26 would give the angle of inclination to the aeroplane and the aviator would then be able at a glance to know exactly what to do to bring his machine to a horizontal plane.

It will be appreciated that when aviators are flying through fog banks or clouds they can only judge the inclination of their machine by their own sense of balance with the result that in many cases it is extremely diflicult to obtain an even horizontal position without some indicating means being employed which is free from error and will not depend only on the judgment of the aviator to determine the position of his machine.

From this description, it will be seen that I have invented an indicator for aeroplanes or airships which can be advantageously utilized therein and by means of which error by the personal equation is not liable to take place such as will be extremely liable to occur through the pilot over or under estimating the inclination of his machine.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently Widely different embodiments of my invention Within the scope of the claims could be constructed Without departing from the spirit or scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying specification and drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What I cliam as my invention is:

1. An indicator of the class described, comprising a hemispherical frame, a Ushaped frame operatively attached to the said frame and supported thereby and a gravity con trolled indicating mechanism operatively supported from the U-shaped frame.

2. An indicator of the class described, comprising a frame, a U-shaped frame rigidly attached to the said frame, a second concentric U-shaped frame pivotally attached to the said U-shaped frame and a gravity con trolled indicating mechanism pivotally supported by the second U-shaped frame.

3. An indicator of the class described, comprising a frame, a U-shaped frame rigidly attached to the said frame, a second U- shaped frame pivotally attached to the said U-shaped frame, a spindle carried by the second U-shaped frame and a spherical gravity controlled indicating mechanism through which the spindle passes; the indicating mechanism being free to rotate about the spindle.

4:. An indicator of the class described, comprising a hemispherical frame, a U shaped frame concentric therewith, inside thereof and rigidly supported thereby, a second U- shaped frame concentric with the first U- shaped frame and pivoted thereto at its ends, a sphere having a weight therein pivotally supported from the second U-shaped frame and provided with a single graduation line in the face thereof, a transparent cover attached to the first mentioned frame, the cover being of less diameter than the frame to which it is attached and held thereto by means of a flanged ring co-acting with a flange on the frame, and said cover having a single graduation mark so that at a glance the aviator can tell by the angle the graduation on the sphere makes with the graduation on the cover at what angle he is flying.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two ,vitnesses.

WILLIAM ALEXANDER WALKER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

